Envelop.



A. M. LOCKHART.

ENVELOP. APPLICATION FILED JULY 18, I9I6.

Patented Sept. 26, 1916.

ion.

ALEXANDER M. LOCKHABT, OF PITTSBURGH, PENNSYLVANIA.

ENVELOP.

Application filed July 18, 1916.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALEXANDER M. LOCK- rrau'r, a citizen of the United States of America, residing at Pittsburgh, county of Allegheny, and State of Pennsylvania, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Envelops, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to envelope and has for its object to provide, in a manner as hereinafter referred to, an envelop for mailing purposes which after being used for transporting a letter, merchandise or other matter can be conveniently folded and employed again for mailing purposes.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter referred to, an envelop capable of being employed for sending and return and so set up as to conceal the return address when forwarding and the forwarding address when returning.

A further object of the invention is to provide, in a manner as hereinafter referred to, an envelop having a body portion Whereby one side thereof can be used for the forwarding address and the other side employed for the return address, and further having an address concealing flap common to both addresses and concealing one address when the other is employed.

Further objects of the invention are to provide, in amanner .as hereinafter referred to, an envelop which is simple in its construction and arrangement, strong, eflicient and convenient in its use, and inexpensive to manufacture.

vVith the foregoing and other objects in view the invention consists of the novel construction of envelop as hereinafter more specifically described and illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein is shown an en'ibodiment of the invention, but it is to be understood that changes, variations and modifications can be resorted to which come within the scope of the claims hereunto appended.

In the drawings wherein like reference characters denote corresponding parts throughout the several views :Figure 1 is a perspective view of the envelop extended. Figs. 2 and 3 arevertical sectional views of the envelop when folded, the former illustrating the concealing flap, in full lines, positioned at one side of the body to conceal the address thereon, and the latter showing the concealing flap positioned at the other Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented ept. 26, 1916.

Serial No. 109,973.

side of the body portion to conceal the address. Fig. & is an elevation of the envelop with the closure flap sealed to the body portion whereby the elements of the envelop are maintained folded. Fig. 5 is a like view of a modified means for maintaining the elements of the envelop folded.

Referring to the drawings the body portion or receptacle of the envelop is formed of a pair of rectangular members 6, 7, formed of flexible or other suitable material and the member 7 has the end marginal portions and bottom marginal portion 8, 9, and 10 respectively bent against the inner face of the said member 7, to provide folds, and which are secured by any suitable adhesive to the end and bottom marginal portions of the inner face of the member 6. The setting up of the members 6, 7, in the manner as stated provides a body portion or receptacle having a permanently open mouth 11.

Formed integral with and projecting from the bottom of the member 6 is a concealing flap 12 which is rectangular in contour and of the same length and width as the memher 6. lhe outer face of the members 6 or 7 is adapted to receive an address and the flap 12 is employed for concealing the outer face of one member when the outer face of the other is exposed, that is to say when one side of the body portion is exposed the other side is concealed as the flap 12 can be folded against one or the other side of the body portion or receptacle.

' Formed integral with and projecting from the concealing flap 12, is a closure flap-13 which is employed for closing the mouth of the body portion or receptacle, and when performing such function is connected to one or the other side of the body portion or receptacle by a seal 14, the latter is so arranged that when opening the envelop, by,

severing the seal, 14, the closure flap 13 will not be damaged so that the envelop can be employed for return use.

In lieu of employing a seal 14 for connecting the elements of the envelop in folded position so that the envelop will be maintained closed, coupling members 15, see Fig. 5, such as bendable fasteners can be employed. When using the members 15, the closure flap, which is indicated at 16, Fig.

5, is rectangular in contour and is of the same length and width as the body portion or receptacle, and when said flap 16 is folded inner face when returnin or vice versa. If

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the concealing flap is employed for the ad dress it will conceal the return address as is obvious. The address for forwarding can be placed on the outer or inner face of the concealing flap and the return address on that side of the receptacle which is concealed by the flap.

hat I claim is V 1. An envelop comprising a receptacle having a closed bottom, closed ends and an open top providing amouth, a flap integral with the bottom of one side of said receptacle and capable of being positioned against either side of the receptacle to conceal the outer face of said side, a flap integral with and projecting from the top of said concealing flap and adapted to extend against that Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,'by addressing the side Wall of the receptacle which isnot opposed by the concealing flap thereby tem porarily closing the mouth of the receptacle, and means detachablyconnecting the flaps in operative position to close the envelop whereby when the envelop has been opened it can be used again.

2. An envelop comprising a receptacle having a closed bottom, closed ends and an open top providing a mouth, a flap integral 'ith the bottom of one side of said receptacle and capable of being positioned against either side of said receptacle to conceal the outer face of such side, a flap integral with and pro ecting from the top of said concealing flap and adapted to extend against that side Wall of the receptacle which is not opposed by said concealing flap thereby temporarily closing the mouth of the receptacle, and means extending through the ends of said flaps and receptacle for detachably connecting the flaps in operative position to close the envelop whereby when the envelop has been opened it can be used again.

In testimony whereof I afliX my signature in the presence of two Witnesses.

ALEXANDER M. LOCKHART. WVitnesses:

LUELLA H. SIMON, B. E. JENKINS.

Gummissioner of Patents,

Washington, D. 0. 

